Not everyone has to be compassionate all the time, but you can encourage compassion. It may bad for the society you want but good for the society they want. You can try to persuade them that your view is better. You may disaprove of someones actions, and try to disuade them from them, but it may be something they need and can handle. DON'T BE A FUCKING DICK just because someone else has a different, yet equally valid, system of morals.

If something hurts no one, then what is wrong with taking it farther? Maybe it will hurt someone then. We'll burn that bridge when we come to it. DON'T BE A FUCKING DICK by using irrelevant slippery slope fallacies.

If it hurts someone down the line, not now, it is still hurting someone. Maybe something should be done in such a case. But DON'T BE A FUCKING DICK about it.

Of course what we do changes us, becomes a part of us. If I read something out of Index et Catalogus Librorum prohibitorum maybe I'll change enough to be able to see the people getting hurt all around me, and even do something about it. DON'T BE A FUCKING DICK by setting your policy in stone for all time.

Most importantly, DON'T BE A FUCKING DICK by building a road to hell out of good intentions. I fear that most. The wicked eventually get bored, but the righteous never sleep.

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Just because it does not affect you does not mean you should not try to prevent it if you feel it is wrong. I agree completely that censorship does not apply here. They don't have any right to stop me or anyone else from saying anything. With that out of the way, I disagree on actual physical actions.

On this site, many people are "liberal" (I think this word is meaningless at this point. I am very liberal on free expression issues but conservative on others. however for lack of a better term I shall let it stand). They are behind Free Tibet or against clubbing baby seals or oppression some Third Worldcountry. None of these really affect the people who support them. However, it is considered perfectly fine, even commendable, to support these actions by the same people who condemn the actions of the Religious Right or whatever. Is it fine to meddle in the lives of those in other countries but not at home?

Let's be honest. This node should be titled : If I wants to do something and it isn't hurting you... DON'T BE A FUCKING DICK. That's the honest reason for this plea, freedom for just yourself. Especially since the current one is hypocritical... stopping someone from interfering with someone else if it doesn't have any effect on you would be just what you were railing against.

I'm kinda playing the Devil's Advocate here. I don't think anyone should be able to do anything about me smoking or whatever (I don't this is hypothetical). Especially when people do things to themselves that I don't like. At least be consistent, though. For me, if its speech or to yourself go at it. Otherwise, I reserve the right to object/complain.

The idea here is that it's best to let people do what they will, because they will anyways, no matter what you do or think, no matter how much better you know you could run their life if you were in charge. It is their life to live, and it is the only one they have. You cannot take that away from them, even if it is 'for their own good'. Taking away their right to their own life can serve no good.

The only (and I stress ONLY) exception here is if someone else's rights are being infringed upon. Then you are entitled (but not required) to reply with proportional force. If some punk kid is playing football in your yard, ask him to leave. Tell him to leave. Pick him up and take him from your property. Call the cops. But don't shoot him. That's stupid. Pointlessly harming another person is one very valid definition for sin.

On the other hand, if there's an armed robber in your house, if you're feeling generous you may just wing him in the arm or knee. But be prepared to put him down if he continues fighting. This is proportional response to infringed rights. The right to your own life is the most important one, and the one from which all other rights originate.

You can talk all you want. Free speech is not an issue here. Demonstrate, speak out, make a couple signs on sticks if it makes you happy. You can even chant. Yay. But don't for a second think that you can stop me from deciding what I want to do with my life, with my time, with my money. Those decisions are part and parcel of what my life is. Taking them away is tantamount to slavery, albeit a kinder and gentler slavery. That doesn't make it better. It makes it worse.

That right, to do as you wish as long as you hurt no one else, is the biggest part of what makes this country the best this earth has ever known. We have efforts to legislate morality every day, but most of them fail, and the ones that don't are gradually being overturned or ignored as people realize how ridiculous and counter-productive they are.

If I or anyone else want to do something, and it isn't hurting you or anyone else.... DON'T BE A FUCKING DICK. Boy, there's an entire philosophy for living, summed up in five nice, short words. Great stuff, if a bit on the rough side. Still, it does get your attention.